Gangs of Konoha
by Moonlit Feathers
Summary: It's a tough world out there. In the absence of ninjas, our Naruto characters find safety and strength in gangs. But this world has its dangers too. Inspired by the 9th opening of the Naruto anime. AU.
1. Round 1

Okay, I shouldn't be starting a new story before finishing my others, but I feel good about this one and I've been writing it pretty continuously since I started it, so I think it's okay and I want to go ahead and put it out for criticism. So please, read, enjoy, and maybe even review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I do own many of the books and one has been signed by Derek Stephen Prince! Yay for Otakon!

Rated T for excessive bad language and many fight scenes to come.

Gangs of Konoha

Round 1

-.- Naruto's POV -.-

The alarm's ringing is a constant throb in my head, and I groan and struggle with the covers before finally throwing an arm out to shut it off. I'm halfway dressed, and more than halfway through my morning 'why-do-i-even-give-a-shit' mantra, when I glance at the faded wall calendar and realize: it's Saturday.

"_Shit_," I mutter, but exhaustion steals the venom from my words. Without preamble, I flop back on the bed, waiting for sleep or a reason to move, whichever came first.

Hi, my name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'm 14 and in high school, though how that happened with my grades I'll never know.

I'm also in a gang. The Fox Gang, to be precise. Are we the toughest gang around here? You better believe it.

The reason I'm so wiped out today? It's not from doing homework, I can tell you that. The reason happens to be a little turd by the name of Kiba Inuzuka. That creep and his mutt jumped me the other day, and I have the bite marks to show for it. That's not fair, you say, he had his dog attack you? Uh, no, actually, the bite marks are from Kiba. That freak.

I finally drag myself up around noon, glance in a mirror before heading down the hall. Shirt, check. Pants, check. Blond hair resembling a porcupine on a bad day, check. Off to face the world.

I stomp to the kitchen, finding the familiar note on the refrigerator door. _Naruto: Gone to library. Back before dinner. -Iruka._ I have to shake my head at this guy. He _always_ goes to the library on Saturdays and _always_ thinks he has to leave me a note about it. Like if I wake up to find him gone I'll panic and do something stupid. I know he's my foster dad and legally responsible and all, but he takes overprotection to a new extreme.

I root around the tiny kitchen of our apartment for some breakfast - er, lunch. Being a teacher, Iruka doesn't make much, but it's just the two of us in this apartment and neither of us are around much, so it's big enough I guess. I reach up for some instant ramen and wince as my arm throbs. Damn that Kiba.

I flop down at the table and continue cursing that mutt and his whole Tanuki gang. They're the wannabe gang, the second-best who are always trying to beat us. And always failing, I might add.

I check my watch and eat faster. Maybe I'll go find Lee and spar a bit, or go hit the arcade. Or go get revenge on that mutt...

I grin through my ramen. Yeah, that'll work.

-.- Kiba's POV -.-

I'm grinning as I race through the skyways, Akamaru bounding at my side. The upper levels of the city are our playground, and today I'm feelin' especially good. That's 'cause yesterday we _trounced_ that sonofabitch from Fox Gang, Uzumaki. "Man, didja see the look on his face, Akamaru?" I smirk as I reminisce. Cheeky bastard hadn't even seen it comin'. "Shoulda known better than to trespass on _our_ turf, right boy?" Akamaru barked happily. Chouji says I'm nuts but I swear that dog understands me. Akamaru's smart, and fierce for his size.

We keep going and pretty soon we're on top of Hokage Hall, where the boss of the city and his cronies do business. It's my favorite lookout spot in the city; as high as you can go and with a clear view of the surrounding area. No one can sneak up on you here unless you're blind or an idiot. I pet Akamaru as I survey the clustered skyscrapers of Konoha. From here I can see the people scurrying around the walkways of the upper and middle levels. Few people are on the highest level, and it's no surprise; the shops are all in the middle, with the snobby elite places higher up, but nothing's at the very top. Up here the city is a maze of flat rooftops, jutting chimneys and narrow pipes, with few walkways. Not a place for sissies or those with poor balance.

I'll probably hang out here for a while, then hit an arcade. The Tanukis don't have a meeting today, so I've got time to myself.

Homework? Yeah right.

-.- Shikamaru's POV -.-

"Shikamaru? Is that you?"

I consider not answering, pretending the annoying, chirpy voice hadn't interrupted my sleep one bit, but the guy decides to tap my shoulder for good measure, so I figure I've no choice but to drag my head up from its nice, comfy perch. I make a show of it, just to show the guy how troublesome it is for me to join the world of the conscious. Inevitably, though, I find myself squinting bleary-eyed into the unbelievably energetic face of one Mr. Umino.

"What's up, Shikamaru? Working hard or hardly working?" he grins, apparently thinking he's made the best joke of the year. Inwardly I groan, but I repress the urge to respond 'I was _sleeping,_ dumbass, what do you think?' and instead go with a sleep-blurred hello. I guess I should have known better than to go to the library on a Saturday; motormouth Naruto said something about Iruka always coming here, but I can't listen every time he opens his big mouth or I wouldn't have time to think.

"I don't see you here often. Doing some homework?"

"Uh, yeah..." In fact I came in, put my head on my books and went down for the count, but he doesn't have to know that.

"Well, that's nice." For all my monosyllabic answers, this guy will not take a hint. And just when I think he might give up and leave me to my "work," he actually pulls up a chair and sits down next to me. I'd groan again but it's too much effort. What did I do to deserve this?

"Hey listen, Shikamaru," Iruka begins. He seems kinda nervous, like he's not sure he should be saying anything, and I admit I'm mildly curious. What's a teacher want with me, besides a lecture? "It's about Naruto. You're a friend of his, right?" I nod and he keeps going. "Well, it's just...I worry about him sometimes, you know? It's hard being a single parent, and a foster one at that, and sometimes I feel that I'm not...well, taking proper care of him."

I'm kind of surprised, and, I don't know, honored? I mean, a teacher's confiding in me. I'm not exactly the most reliable guy in school, being, as Neji put it, 'so lazy it's a wonder he doesn't die because breathing is too troublesome,' and I don't seem like the kind of guy you'd talk to about your problems. But people do, so maybe they see something I just don't get. Or they figure I'll forget about it tomorrow anyway.

"Anyway, he..." Iruka pauses again, like he can't find the words he's looking for, and considering he's an English teacher that's a pretty big deal. "Well, sometimes he comes home looking sort of...beat up, and I just...he won't tell me anything, and I just wondered if, as his friend, you knew anything? Naruto's not...getting into trouble outside of school, is he?"

Crap. Crapcrap_crap_. I'm a pretty good liar in a pinch, but to Iruka...you haven't seen this guy. He radiates this downright _innocence_ that would make a freakin' five-year-old jealous, and here he is with his concerned-parent face looking me straight in the eye. And what can I tell him? 'Sorry, but your foster son is in one of the most feared gangs in town? He gets into fights almost every day? Oh, and half the time I'm there helping him?' Then watch Iruka's eyes bug out and his jaw drop. Or maybe have a heart attack on the spot. Yeah, killing my English teacher would _not_ do good things for my grade. Time to dodge the question as best I can. Luckily, avoiding things is a specialty of mine.

"Uh, trouble? Hm," I scratch my head and look up, like I'm thinking about it, but really I'm just trying to avoid his gaze. "I doubt it. I mean, you'd know as well as any that Naruto's a delinquent, but he'd never get into anything dangerous." Mostly. "I mean, he's not into drugs or anything." Well, that was true.

"So he doesn't get into fights?"

Craaaaap. Why'd he have to ask a direct question? "Weeeell, maybe one or two, but it's a tough town, you know?" I try to answer quickly, gloss it over, make it seem like it's not a big deal.

"I see..." Iruka sighs. He sits back, running a hand through his hair and not looking very relieved, and I sweat and figure he's seen right through me. "Well, if he _does_ get into trouble, he has friends to help him out, right?"

"Of course!" I answer quickly. We look out for our comrades in Fox Gang.

"Yeah..." he smiles thinly, and suddenly he seems more like an adult and less like his immature self, and I'm really wishing this conversation were over. "I trust you to look out for him, Shikamaru. You may be...well, to be honest, you're something of a slacker..." Understatement much? "But I know you're a good kid. And I guess...I should trust Naruto, too." He smiles again, suddenly more lively, and stands up to leave. "Thanks, Shikamaru. Sorry to bother you with this. Good luck with your homework, see you Monday." He picks up his briefcase and leaves, looking as chipper as usual. I watch him out the door, and then my head hits the desk again, but there's no way I can sleep now.

I groan out loud this time. "Troublesome..."

-.- Naruto's POV -.-

"Die, alien scum!!"

I'm wrestling with the joystick, slamming buttons and wasting aliens, and just when I think I'm finally going to make high score history -

"Ah no, nonononono _fuck_!" I slam the game console, watching the flashing red GAME OVER mocking me. I search my pockets for quarters, realize I'm out and decide it's not worth it anyway. "Crappy game..." I give it a kick, earning a glare from the security guard. I return it double and stalk off. Maybe I'll feel better watching some noob tank at a game.

So yeah, I'm at the arcade. Couldn't find that bastard Inuzuka anywhere, so I decided to chill here. Hasn't really helped my mood though. I'm usually pretty good at these games...well, to be modest, I usually fucking _own_ at these games, but I guess it's true what they say about anger clouding your judgement, 'cuz I'm too steamed to play properly. If only I could take out my anger on that flea-face...maybe if I go see Shino. The guy creeps me out, but he can tell you where anyone is at any time. I don't know how he does it; he's some kind of tech geek or something. I could ask him to track down the mutt.

I'm shuffling around the arcade when the door opens. It's so loud in here that shouldn't have even caught my attention, but something makes me look around. Call it my instinct. Whatever it is, it has served me well, because who should I see stroll in like he owns the place but dog-boy himself. I duck behind a game and luckily, the mutt hasn't seen me yet.

I grin to put a skeleton to shame. The day is looking up.

* * *

Chapter 1 and already a cliffhanger?! What madness is this?!

And you don't get another chapter until I get at least one review. XP


	2. Round 2

Okay, I got one review, even if it was from my sister. Whatever; I really want to post this story, even if no one reads it. I realize that there is just a ridiculous number of Naruto fanfics (and here I am adding to it) and so people aren't likely to find my story. And it doesn't help that this story's is probably the most pathetic summary I've ever conceived.

Time for chapter 2! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine and I don't want him. But if Deidara shows up on eBay...

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Round 2

-.- Kiba's POV -.-

I breeze through the arcade door, removing my cap for a sec to ruffle my brown locks and lose the hat hair. Not that it helps much; my hair's a mess at best, but at least it's not Naruto's hedgehog head or Shikamaru's weird little ponytail, or Shino's...I stop right there. That guy creeps me out. Not that I'm scared of him. Nope.

Besides, Gaara is worse any day.

I cruise the arcade, looking for a good game to blow some quarters on. I promised Akamaru I wouldn't take too long; had to leave him outside 'cuz last time I brought him in the store manager himself came out and tore me a new one, and I figure it's not worth the argument. I could always hide him in my jacket, but it's stuffy in the arcade and he'd just get jostled when I play a game. I figure he'll be fine; he's a good boy and he can handle himself for a while. Think I'll have a shot at that new Alien Fighter game!

-.-.-.-.-

A while later I look at the clock and swear. It's been two hours already! Man, I lose my head playing these games. Poor Akamaru must be bored out of his mind.

I make for the door, not really paying attention to my path until I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you!"

Well, my name's not 'you' but I turn anyway, to see some guy a head or so taller than me. He's lookin' pissed off, but it's nothing compared to what I'm gonna be if he doesn't let go soon. "Watch where you're going, punk," he growls. I'm thinkin' his accent is 'Stupid Gorilla'. "You slammed into me."

"Oh really? I'd think you'd be used to it. You're so fat I'm amazed you got through the door!" I shoot back.

Gorilla Boy's face colors, and he actually grabs my jacket. "I'm sensin' some disrespect there, punk," he growls. I notice his buddies hovering behind him and almost smirk. So the gorilla needs his monkey pack with him, huh? He yanks my collar and I'm seriously about to rip his arm right off, only I just got unbanned from this arcade last week and I don't want a repeat. "I think you should apologize, punk."

I've had it with this guy. "I'm thinkin' you're the one who should apologize, ape-man, unless you want me to rearrange your face for you. Trust me, it can only be an improvement." I grin right in his ugly mug.

His face twists and he looks like he's about to blow. Ooo, sorry, didn't know gorillas were sensitive about their looks. "I don't think you know who you're dealing with, punk!"

Does he have _any_ insults besides 'punk?' I finally grab his wrist, squeezing hard enough to make him loosen his grip, and look him in the eye. I bare my unusually sharp canines and say, "Do _you_?" all deadly quiet.

All of a sudden the guy looks uneasy and backs off a bit. He eyes me for a sec, and then his eyes get all wide and he lets go of my collar. "Wait, those triangle tattoos...you're not Kiba Inuzuka, are you?" I widen my grin and listen to his thugs titter. "The _Tanuki_ Gang?" one whispers. "That's right, pal," I hiss, and tighten my grip 'til I can see his hand losing color. "Now what was that about apologizing?"

His face mimics his hand. "I-I'm sorry, man! I didn't know, honest!" he starts blubbering, trying to squirm loose. He even calls me "sir," which brings a laugh to my lips, but I swallow it, trying to keep the tough-guy attitude.

Finally I stop him. "You're lucky I'm in a hurry today, 'cuz I don't have time to deal with you, _punk_." I shove his arm back suddenly, throwing him off balance, and leave him there to crawl back under his rock, go eat a banana, whatever it is losers do.

I'm feelin' pretty good as I leave; it's nice to know that even without my signature Tanuki Gang scarf, I'm still recognizable as one of the baddest guys in town. "Let's go home, Akamaru," I say, readjusting my jacket.

When no answer comes I look around. "Akamaru?" He's not where I left him, patiently sitting by the door. I figure, no big deal, I did take two hours. Little guy probably wandered off to find some fun. I rifle through my pockets and extract my special dog whistle. It's tuned to Akamaru specifically, and it should be able to reach him if he hasn't gone too far. Which he wouldn't have.

When he doesn't come even then, I get worried. Akamaru always comes when I call, unless he didn't hear me...or couldn't come. "Akamaru!" I shout. I look right and left, and randomly run around a corner into the alley next to the arcade. "Aka - maru..."

-.- Naruto's POV -.-

"Aka - maru..." he trails off and his eyes widen. My grin does the same, seeing how thoroughly I've gotten to him.

"Whatsa matter, Kiba, your mutt didn't come when ya called him? I guess he was a little busy." I hold my hand up a little more. A small, pathetic whimper comes from the little white furball I'm gripping by the neck.

"Akamaru!" Kiba yells. He glares at me. "You bastard, what did you do to him?!"

"Hey, why so mad? I only did to him what the two of you did to me yesterday!" Glaring back, I toss Akamaru to the side, watching Kiba's face as his preciious dog hits the wall with a yelp and thumps pitifully to the ground. Tell ya the truth, I'm not feeling too proud of beating up a puppy, but I figure that's what he gets. It's a hard world, and that mutt's as much a fighter as his master. He's involved, so he gets hurt. And I dare you to argue after spending a solid minute trying to detach his teeth from your arm.

"You..." Oh boy. Kiba's _furious_. He's got a totally demented gleam in his eyes as he flips his cap backwards and balls his fists. "You...are...so..._dead!!_" With a growl of fury, he comes at me swinging.

I duck his punch easy, jump back to avoid his swinging leg, and slam my foot into his side while he's all twisted around. He grunts and stumbles back, but hardly misses a beat before he attacks again. But again, it's child's play to block his punch and nail him right in the face. He flies back and goes down hard. I take a step back, smirking. I've made him mad, and Kiba's no good at fighting when he's mad. It'll be easy to get revenge for yesterday.

"Whatsa matter, Kiba, sad for your puppy?" I smirk while he wipes blood from his mouth. "I gotta tell ya, even he put up a better fight than you are right now!"

He growls, absolutely _feral_ (learned that word from Shika), and I admit I'm freaked. He says his mutt's got brains like a human? Well, Kiba's got attitude like a dog. Or a wolf. A rabid one.

He looks at Akamaru again, and I see concern behind the fury. "Akamaru..."

And then he _blurs_, and I just have time to think _oh crap_ before his elbow sends me flying halfway down the alley. I curl up to lessen the impact, bounce once (on my _tailbone_, man that hurts) and roll to my feet, sliding back to end up crouched on one knee with my hands on the ground for balance. I try to stand and my lungs rebel. Damn, that mutt can move when he wants to.

I glare down the alley but it looks like Kiba's not following. I take a sec to recover my breath and stand up (looks like no ribs broke, this time) in time to see Kiba get up from behind a trash can, clutching a furry white bundle. I get it; he went after the dog while I was down. He glares at me, then turns and runs.

"Hey, where do you think _you're_ going?!" I yell, and the chase is on.

-.-.-.-.-

He's got a head start and he's fast, faster than me, but I'm known for being tenacious (Shikamaru taught me that one too. Sounds better than 'stubborn'). He's slowed a bit from carrying the dog, but I still can't catch him. I manage to keep on his tail, though, which is saying something.

The arcade is in the middle of our two gangs' territories, a sort of neutral ground, 'neutral' meaning we fight over it again every month. Kiba's heading towards Tanuki grounds, obviously, and I figure I'd better catch up soon or call it quits. And Uzumaki Naruto does not call it quits. In his territory Kiba'd lose me in the blink of an eye, and probably have his friends on me before I could turn around.

He turns left and keeps moving up, jumping railings and tearing along back-alley pipes and support beams. I curse; he's heading into the middle level, the 4th Shopping District, where it'll be more crowded. It's all I can do to keep up; I turn one corner just in time to see him vanish around the next. Sheesh, I keep yelling for him to stop; isn't he listening?

I turn the next corner and find myself facing a mass of people. So he wants to fade into the background on a main walkway, huh? Like that's going to stop me for a second. I make my way into the crowd, trying to figure out which way he went, when Lady Luck smiles on me; I see the mutt hauling ass up a staircase across the way. I'm after him like a shot, leaving behind a trail of offended gasps and rude words. I don't hang around to answer.

I barrel up the staircase. Reaching the top, I turn right, see Kiba leaning worn out against the wall, and charge for him.

I don't see so much as sense the presence to my right, but it's not enough warning. Something hits my side, _bam_, and I go flying right into the railing and over the edge. Through some miracle I manage to flip around and land on my feet on a pipe stretching across the gap, but it's three inches wide and I'm not on it for long. I slip off with a scream-a very _manly_ scream, I'd like to add.

I hear snickering and Kiba's obnoxious voice saying something. I look up from where I'm dangling from the pipe by one hand (you know, my friends are right-if it weren't for luck, I'd be long dead) to see Kiba leaning over the bent railing, laughing at my struggles with-

"Chouji!" I growl. The lardbutt smirks and gives me a cheeky thumbs-up. "Hey, how's it hanging, Uzumaki?" Oh, ha ha ha. That was so funny I forgot to laugh.

I glare at the pair of them and manage to drag myself up to where I can swing one leg over the pipe. Ouch. _Bad_ move. I almost think hanging would be an improvement. I growl at the renewed laughter from above. "I'm gonna get you two for this!"

Kiba stops laughing long enough to say, "Yeah? How?"

I just fume, which makes them snicker again.

"I'm gonna get home, man," Kiba says, turning to his partner in crime. "I need to take care of Akamaru."

"What's wrong with him? Is he okay?" Chouji looks all concerned. Ha. He was probably fattening the puppy up to eat him.

"He'll be okay. _Someone_," and I'm judging by the death glare that it's me, "thinks it's fun to beat up innocent little dogs!"

"Ha! Innocent my butt! That dog's as bad as you are!"

They ignore me. Chouji glares down at me, punches his hand with his fist. "You go on," he tells Kiba. "I'll take care of him."

"Oh yeah, I'm real scared of you," I sneer. I stand slowly, trying to get my balance on the slim perch, while Kiba walks away. I look around; if I'm going to fight Chouji, I need better footing. The guy's real slow, but if he manages to hit you it packs a real punch. And it's hard to damage the guy through all that blubber.

"Well, are you going to come up here or am I going to have to come down there?" Chouji shouts impatiently.

"Shut up, fatass!" I snap. How can I get up there with his bulk blocking the friggin' railing?

Fatso's eyes narrow dangerously just as mine widen, as I realize what I said. "What. Did. You. Call. Me," he snarls, deadly calm. Ohhhh crap. The "f" word is taboo around Chouji, and I don't mean "fuck." Any mention of his weight sets him off. And just as Kiba fights worse when he's mad, Chouji gets more dangerous.

He pulls a switchblade outta nowhere and pulls back, ready to sling it at me. I curse and try to backpedal, but before he can throw it, it disappears.

"What the-_aaaargh_!" Chouji barely glances at his hand before he doubles over, clutching his side. Something blurs by his head, and he topples over.

"What the-" I glance up to see none other than-

* * *

What the deuce?! Another cliffhanger?!

I don't know about this chapter. It seemed weak. Thoughts? a.k.a. reviews?


	3. Round 3

Yay, new chapter! I'm glad my one reviewer liked chapter 2. Also, perhaps some clarification is needed in the way of the gang members.

As I said, this fic was inspired by the 9th Naruto opening; specifically by the pictures, not the song. If you haven't seen this opening, go Youtube it, and then listen to the full song, "Yura Yura," because it's awesome. But for quick reference, in the opening there were pictures of the Naruto guys standing around looking cool and gangsta. There was one of Neji, Naruto, Shino, Shikamaru, and Lee in Yakuza-style suits, and one of Gaara, Kankurou, Chouji, and Kiba in street clothes, all looking, as mentioned, cool and gangsta. So I based the gangs on those pictures, which is why Shikamaru and Chouji aren't on the same team, despite their being best friends.

So the gangs are:

Fox Gang - Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Shino, Lee

Tanuki Gang - Gaara, Kankurou, Kiba, Chouji

"Fox" because Naruto's the demon fox and "Tanuki" because that's what Gaara's demon is. A tanuki is a raccoon-dog and another trickster-type creature, like foxes, in Japanese mythology. And the Yakuza are the Japanese Mafia.

The girls aren't in the gangs, and neither is Sasuke, but they are around. This will all be explained. Actually, I think Sasuke makes his entrance this chapter... -checks- yep, there he is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but one day soon, it and all other manga whose authors have gone senile shall be in the public domain, owned by their fans! Yes, the revolution is coming! The fanfic writers shall rise! We will fill the world with yaoi and Mary Sues! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!

p.s. Might not be able to update for a while... :(

p.s.s. I'm updating this _during class_. I'm so badass :D

* * *

Round 3

-.-Shikamaru's POV-.-

"Shikamaru!" Naruto cries. "Man am I glad to see-whoa!!" he flails and nearly falls off the ridiculously narrow pipe on which he's balancing. I roll my eyes. How did he even get out there?

"Come on, Naruto," I sigh, climbing carefully over the railing-the part that's not mysteriously bent-and perching on the narrow ledge of concrete on the other side. "I think I can reach you from here if you come closer to this side."

He edges along the pipe, and soon he's where I can reach down, veeery carefully, and pull him up so he can grab the railing too. From there it's easy for us to climb back over.

"Thanks Shikamaru, but I coulda handled him," Naruto is all smiles, one hand poised confidently on the hip of his obnoxious orange tracksuit.

"Uh-huh," I state simply. "Naruto, don't you know better by now than to call Chouji 'fat'?" And I swear I just saw the lardbutt twitch, even passed out on the floor. "Anyway, let's get out of here before more of them turn up."

"Aww, but..." he stares unhappily down the walkway.

"But what?"

"I kinda need to get revenge on Kiba. He messed me up yesterday and I wanna get even."

"Kiba? Forget it. He'll be long gone by now," I inform him. "You know how fast he is. Anyway, you already beat up his dog, right? So you got him emotionally too. Let's just go home." I'm already heading for the stairs. Naruto will follow; he always does.

"Whoa, wait up!" I hear him coming down the stairs behind me. So predictable. "How did you know I beat up Akamaru?"

"How do you think I found you? I went to Shino."

"Oh." Enough said. Shino's information network stretched all across the city, from hacked government servers to his own hidden cameras. If you needed to know what was happening to whom where at what time, Shino was your man. And I'm glad he's on our side.

Of course, being on our side doesn't make him less creepy. When I went to see him today, I hadn't gone two steps into his room before he announced 'Naruto's heading east and up from the Cyberworld Arcade, chasing Kiba, who is fleeing to get Akamaru to safety, because Naruto beat him up in revenge for Kiba beating _him_ up yesterday. He will probably be at Walkway 7-C by the time you can get over there.'

This was _before I even asked him a question_.

I am really, _really_ glad he's on our side.

"...maru? Hellooo, Shikamaru!" I finally notice the blurring hand in front of my face and lean back to avoid the proximity. "What?"

"Geez, try spending time on Earth for once!" Naruto laughs. "I asked why you were looking for me in the first place. You need something?"

"Oh, that..." I think back to my conversation with Iruka. "Nah. I just figured, you being you, you'd be in some sort of trouble today, and friends have to help friends out, you know?"

"Well yeah, sure," he says, looking puzzled. Then he seems to shrug it off. He punches me in the shoulder and grins, "I can always count on you, huh Shikamaru?"

"That hurt, idiot," I grumble, rubbing my shoulder. But I smile back.

"Hey, wanna go by the ramen shop?"

"Do you realize how unhealthy that stuff is? Don't you ever eat anything else?"

"Hey, hey, ramen is the best food ever! It's the food of the gods!"

"...whatever. I was actually gonna do some homework."

"Eh?! You feelin' alright?"

"Ah, Iruka caught me at the library, so he knows I could be doing it. I don't have an excuse this time."

"Ha ha! Sucks for you! I'm gonna go get ramen! See ya Monday!"

"Try not to get into any more trouble today." Geez, I sound like Iruka.

-.-Naruto's POV-.-

I sigh as I stare up at the cheerless entrance to the jail. I mean, school. But I swear it's built from the same floor plan. And having spent time in both, I have authority to say that.

The school's on the bottom level, so the overuse of concrete in its construction doesn't put a strain on the city's supports, but man does it put a strain on the mind. It's depressing just to walk by. The _entire thing_ is concrete. I hear they only got tile floors a couple years ago, after too many parents complained of their kids falling and scraping themselves to pieces. But the walls, where they're not covered with dingy little lockers that might hold some toothpicks but definitely not the encyclopedias we're expected to carry around, are still rough concrete, painted that nauseating shade of dull green that everyone hates except, apparently, the people who decorate schools and mental asylums. I see the connection.

Man, half the time the only thing that keeps me coming here is the fact that Iruka'd kill me if I skipped. Which isn't to say I don't sometimes cut out after his class anyway.

I'm even here _early_, which in my book is practically a crime. Again, Iruka's fault; he, of course, is Mister-Early-Bird, and since I rely on him to wake me up I usually wind up at school a good half-hour before opening time. Sometimes I nap in a classroom; sometimes I hang around on the steps until my friends show. Today it's the second one, while keeping an eye out for Kiba or Chouji. This weekend just _sucked_, and I know that sooner or later one of those creeps is going to come rub my face in it. Maybe Kankurou too; I'm sure he'll have found out by lunchtime. The key is not to avoid them, though; it makes you look even more insecure. Just stand up tall, glare 'em down, and kick their asses next time. Besides, Shika got a good one over on Chouji, so I figure I can take gang pride from that.

Suddenly I see a sight to brighten even the darkest day. _Sakura_!

She glides up the steps like a vision of beauty, chatting prettily with Ino. Her pink hair sways in the wind. She's the prettiest girl at our school - no, the prettiest girl I've ever seen!

"Sakuraaa! Hey, Sakura!" I wave to get her attention.

She almost seemed to flinch. She gave a quick wave back, then grabbed Ino and almost _ran_ into school. Weird. Was it something I said? After thinking about it, I can only decide that she must have remembered something important that she had to talk to a teacher about right away. It's the only logical explanation.

I sigh, watching as more and more kids show up. Guess I may as well go in. Maybe I'll see Sakura before class!

-.-Lee's POV-.-

"Naruto! How goes it?" The school day is off to a good start with a youthful encounter between friends!

"Hi Lee," my blond friend replies.

Something seems off about him, so I must ask the question. "What is wrong, Naruto? You do not seem especially youthful today."

"Eh, I had kinda a rough weekend, but it's all good!" he smiles. Naruto's positive attitude in all circumstances is very admirable, and I tell him so.

"I just don't let stuff get to me. It's not worth it, y'know?"

We are walking down the hall together, talking about everyday youthful things, when I notice some girls in front of us staring down the hall with eyes sparkling with the romance of youth! I glance back and see some students I have not seen before. "Naruto, do you know those people?"

He turns around too and we stand by the lockers, watching the people approach. There are six of them, moving in a group. The one at the front is a rather pale boy with slick black hair. Naruto does not know who they are either.

"I do not like the looks of that boy in the front," I whisper. "His eyes are very cold."

"He looks like a stuck-up jerk." I wince slightly; Naruto is not bothering to keep his voice down. "What's up with his hair? It looks like he painted a chicken black and stuck it on his head!" Naruto laughs. Some of the girls around us frown at him, but the boy appears not to hear.

As he passes by, however, he looks at Naruto. Looks straight into his eyes with that dead, coal-black stare. Naruto stiffens, staring back; the smile is gone from his face. The boy lets his eyes slid away as he passes, but Naruto continues to stare. I cannot help but feel a very ominous premonition , as if something somehow awful has just begun.

The group moves on, none of the others bothering to look around. "They look like they are in a gang too, don't they. I wonder if this will be a problem." I watch as one of them, a boy with black hair sticking straight up, shoves another student out of his way, smirking.

Naruto does not answer. I look at him to see that he is still staring after the group as they walk away. "Naruto?" He does not appear to hear me. I wonder if he is staring at that boy. "I'm going to go to class now...see you later," I say, but he continues to ignore me. The boy has disappeared around a corner, but Naruto is still staring in that direction.

I walk away, but I cannot help but worry about the look on his face. It is a lot like the way he looked at Gaara before their first big fight. I am not afraid to admit I still get chills when I think about that time. Now this new boy seems to pose a similar threat.

Suddenly the day does not look so youthful.

-.-Kankurou's POV-.-

From the moment I see the new kid, I know we're gonna have a problem here. He's got this swagger, this _look_ about him that says that he's all that and everyone else is just background noise. It's not quite the same dangerous feel that Gaara has, but I can tell he's going to be irritating as hell. He's got attitude etched in every perfectly gelled hair on his head.

I glare at him but he ignores me. That pisses me off more.

"That kid better watch himself," I mutter. "He'll find out who's really tops around this school."

"His eyes are full of hatred...and sadness."

I look down at my little brother, surprised. Gaara rarely offers an opinion on anything, and that was one weird comment. Right now he's staring after the new boy, seemingly with no eyes for anything else. "Just...what did you mean by that?"

He doesn't answer. I look closer at his eyes and think, _oh shit_. To anyone else, this probably just looks like his usual dead-raccoon stare, but I recognize that look. That's the look he had before he and the Uzumaki kid went and nearly killed each other.

Damn. This new kid might be more trouble than I thought. Just who is this guy?

-.-Shikamaru's POV-.-

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Here."

Man, sometimes I wonder about the school system. Three new transfer students this far into the school year? School's been in session for two months already. I mean I guess it's not that bad, but it makes one wonder why they switched schools.

On top of that, they look like trouble. Maybe they got expelled from their last school.

One of them's a really pale guy with black hair and bangs that hang over his face. He's got a dark blue T-shirt, kaki shorts, and about every girl in the class staring at him with hearts in their eyes. Man, I just don't get what girls see in guys like that.

The other guy's got white hair, and when he grinned I think I saw fangs. Weird and definitely someone to watch out for.

The third's a girl. I thought Sakura Haruno's light pink hair was bad enough, but this girl's got dark pink, almost obnoxiously colored hair. She's also got some of the nerdiest glasses I've ever seen. Coupled with a really tight shirt and shorts that look to be in definite violation of the dress code, I don't really know what to make of her. But as a general rule, girls equal trouble.

The three of them sit together. Could be because they're all new, or could be they know each other already. I wouldn't usually take as much notice as I am, but these guys are just giving off a bad vibe. Or maybe that's the feeling from Chouji glaring at me from across the room.

I lean back casually. I've been ignoring him so far and that's how it's going to stay. He seriously needs to get over yesterday already. He can't even be 100 percent sure it was me who knocked him out.

Of course, I did 'accidentally' drop the switchblade I swiped from him yesterday as he was walking by outside of school. I held it up just to make sure it didn't get scratched, so I guess he might've seen it and put two and two together. My bad.

Time for class to start. Or, as I like to call it, naptime.

* * *

Haha! Gotcha there! NOT a cliffhanger!

So, can anyone guess who's in Sasuke's 'gang'?


	4. Round 4

Okay, the long-awaited 4th chapter is here! Thanks to .Sailor.L, Noc007, and .Planned for reviews! I'm happy that people found my story among the literally tens of thousands of Naruto fanfics and found it worthwhile enough to review.

I wrote this chapter, and it ended up being ridiculously long because I couldn't find a very good stopping point, so I cut it in the best place I could and made the rest into the next chapter. So you get two chapters in one update! 0_0 gasp amazing

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but Shino is mine. He, Suigetsu and Kakashi are the only cool characters left, in my judgemental opinion, and knowing Kishimoto-sensei's penchant for killing off the cool characters (you saw how he teased us in chapter 423!), I have decided to take Shino into my protection. I'll get Suigetsu next. (Bring on your arguements about character coolness; I'll take you on with the power of youth!)

* * *

Round 4

-.-Neji's POV-.-

I sigh. P.E. time. I will be so glad next year when I'm a junior and I no longer have to take that irritating class. Not that I'm bad at it, of course; in P.E. as in everything else, I'm at the top of the class. But I get plenty of exercise already from my...extracurricular activities. _Anyone_ would get enough exercise just by living in this town, with all the walkways and levels. P.E. is full of immature, undisciplined teenagers running around screaming and throwing balls at each other.

Having class with Lee doesn't help.

He managed to find me after sixth period. Now he's just walking beside me rambling on about our upcoming youthful experience. I want to shake him and say, 'Lee, it's Just. Dodgeball,' but I know well enough by now that it would be pointless.

He does have moments in which he makes sense, as hard as that may be to believe from spending five minutes with him. During lunch he was saying something mildly coherent about Naruto and some new kids who looked like trouble. I saw one of them in my math class, a boy with bandages covering half his face. He was wearing a cap, too, and seemed to be bald. The teacher didn't say anything, so I assume it was allowed, but already he's gotten weird looks from people. Everyone avoided him, but I don't think he looked that tough. If he or his gang feel like causing trouble, any one of our gang could quickly put them in their place.

Oh look, the locker room. Wonderful.

-.-Lee's POV-.-

Yes! P.E.! An excellent opportunity to revel in the springtime of youth!

Neji does not seem very excited. He never seems to display any youthful spirit. Yet I know it exists even in him!

Ah! The locker room! A place for male bonding and youthful displays of friendship! And there is Naruto!

"Hello Naruto!" I exclaim. The freshmen and sophomores have double P.E., and Naruto is in the same group with Neji and me! That Tanuki boy Kankurou is also in our class, which makes for some very energetic competition at times!

"Uh, Naruto?" I find I must repeat myself, because he is staring into the distance again. He says quietly, "It's _him_."

I look and see the pale boy from earlier. Oh no! I had forgotten about him!

"Uh, so, Naruto, are you looking forward to dodgeball today?" I quickly change the subject. It would be very bad if this boy, this Sasuke Uchiha according to Shikamaru, really is like Gaara. Gaara used to be in our P.E. class, but he and Naruto caused so much trouble that he was eventually switched out. I do not want a repeat of the same scenario!

At first I thought he was not listening, but then he says, "Yeah. I think I am."

I really do not like that grin on his face.

"Neji-" I turn to find Neji behind me, already changed and also watching Uchiha. "Is that the guy?" he asks. I nod and he contemplates him for a while, his eyes narrowed.

I realize suddenly that quite a few people are looking at the new boy and whispering things along the lines of "stuck-up pretty boy." I worry that the negative attention may bother him, but just as in the hallway, he ignores their looks. Still, it is rude to stare, so I quickly change and drag Naruto and Neji into the gym.

Hopefully a youthful experience will clear the air of bad feelings!

-.-Kankurou's POV-.-

Well, well, well. New kid's in my P.E. class. On dodgeball day, no less. Someone up there's got a nice sense of humor.

I pass by Uzumaki and Hyuuga in the gym, and I hear the blond whispering "I bet Uchiha won't look so smug with his face knocked in from a well-aimed dodgeball." I gotta snicker at that. So even the blond idiot can have some good ideas sometimes.

"What are you laughing at?" the Hyuuga asks snottily. Man, that guy gets on my nerves. I start to glare, but then an idea hits me.

So I smile at them (more of a smirk, really; they're still Fox Gang, after all) and say, "That was pretty funny, what you said about the Uchiha kid." They just glare, so I keep talking. "So, it looks like we're gonna be on the same dodgeball team this time."

"And why's that?" Uzumaki growls.

"Because I want a chance to give the newbie a proper welcome too."

They don't react for a second; then Uzumaki grins and snickers and even Hyuuga gives a small smirk.

A ridiculously loud whistle makes the lights rattle, and Psycho Gym Teacher is in the building! God, Might Gai is a nutcase. I don't know why Hyuuga lets Gai's little clone Lee be in his gang. Sure he's strong, but you gotta have standards.

He rambles about youth for a while (and he is _how_ old?), then he finally lets us form into teams. Uzumaki, Hyuuga and I stand near one end of the gym, making sure Uchiha is at the other so he'll end up on the opposite team. Lee's at the other end too; for some reason, he always competes against his gangmates in P.E. I guess it's because not many normal people could compete with his insane energy.

Uchiha (Chouji told us all his name at lunch, by the way, along with the names of some others who seem to be in his gang) is standing around with one of those I'm-too-good-for-this bored looks. Man, I just cannot _wait_ to smear him all over the gym floor.

Time for some target practice.

-.-Naruto's POV-.-

I don't like this new kid, this Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like him and that's all I have to say about it.

He's just got this _look_ about him, alright? This attitude! He's clearly trouble! And I know trouble!

Shikamaru and Neji agree with me too. Plus, Shino tried to find out more about him at lunch with his handheld computer, and he couldn't find a thing. Nada. Zip. Not in this town or in any other. He said he'd try a wider search later, but the fact that he couldn't find anything right away is way beyond suspicious.

I figure this dodgeball game will be a good chance to see just how much trouble Uchiha really is.

Gai-sensei goes over the rules for all of us who've spent their whole lives under rocks, bricks or some other hard, rectangular object and never played dodgeball before. Stay on your side, if you're out you're out, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, everyone is tuning him out and choosing their victims. I know who mine is.

Finally, Gai-sensei throws the balls out on the court and blows that ear-destroying whistle of his. I waste no time in scrambling for a ball. Nearby, Neji and (I can't believe we're cooperating with) _Kankurou_ do the same. I keep my eyes on Uchiha; that prick hasn't even moved. He looks all haughty and bored, and he isn't even looking at our side. Big mistake.

Head shots are technically forbidden, but hey, what can I do if my hand slips?

Other kids are getting into position for shots, and a few have started throwing balls randomly for the hell of it. I keep an eye out for strays, nod to Neji (and if Kankurou happens to see, whatever) to let them know I'll shoot first (it would be _so_ lame if our balls knocked each other out of the way), and then wind up, put my considerable strength into it and _let it fly!_

The ball flies straight, true and fast, ordinary kids flinch out of the way lest it be aimed at them, it approaches the prick at face-disfiguring speed and -

He dodged it.

He _dodged_ it! He fucking dodged it! And not a real dodge either! He just _leaned_ to the side and let it fly past him! With his eyes closed! And didn't move his feet! And, and -

Okay, I think you get it. I'm speechless. Dodging it without any effort, just like...like _Gaara_.

And then he looks at me. And he smirks.

Okay. Oho-ho-hooo-kay. _That_ did it.

While I stew in rage, Neji throw his dodgeball. The prick ducks, sweeping a ball off the ground, and throwing it back in one smooth motion. Neji, unprepared, just barely dodges.

Okay, the jerk's good. But he made one fatal mistake. He pissed me off. That prick is going down.

This is physical education. And he's about to get schooled.

-.-Kankurou's POV-.-

Damn, the brat _is_ good. I knew he was trouble from the start. He's dodging all our attacks and firing back almost before our balls even get there. And he maintains his cool-guy attitude throughout.

Really. Fucking. Annoying.

Uzumaki's flinging balls left and right like there's no tomorrow. Normally I'd laugh at how easily he gets ticked off, but today I'm wishing him the best of luck. Life's really weird sometimes, huh?

It does no good anyway; the brat dodges every one effortlessly. He's almost like Gaara, but at least Gaara has the decency to look scary and badass, not _smug_. More than ever I want to pound this guy's face in.

Hyuuga is doing his best, and he's a fast guy, but his speed and Uzumaki's wildness and my precision all seem to be useless against this guy. And that idiot Lee isn't helping; he keeps attacking the three of _us,_ and doesn't seem to get the fact that we kinda have other objectives here!

And then it happens.

Uchiha's looking the other way, nailing some poor freshie who got too close to the dividing line, and Hyuuga sends a fast one at him. For a second, a beautiful, victorious second, it looks like it's going to hit. And then Uchiha grabs a ball, holds it with both hands and uses it to deflect Hyuuga's ball, sending it flying right back to smack Hyuuga in the face.

Even in a gym full of noisy kids playing dodgeball, that sound seems to ring out above the others.

-.-Neji's POV-.-

Oh. No. He. Didn't.

-.-Lee's POV-.-

Ouch. Neji got hit directly in the face. I bet that hurt, although Neji is being stoic as usual and not showing pain. That must take a lot of spirit!

However, even though it was an illegal face shot, he is still out. He seems reluctant to leave the court, but Gai-sensei enforces the rules, as is only right! Neji leaves, but he is glaring fiercely at the Uchiha boy.

I must say that perhaps his anger is not unfounded. I am willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but Uchiha does not seem at all sorry for what he has done, and to deflect a ball like that must have taken much effort. It is entirely possible that he hit Neji in the face on purpose.

Neji, Naruto and Kankurou have seemed rather preoccupied during this game. All of them are concentrating their energy on attacking Uchiha. It is good to have goals and to pursue them with determination, but I feel they may not be remembering that it is only a game. Therefore it is my job to remind them!

I cleverly throw one ball as a decoy, and then throw the second in close succession. Kankurou manages to dodge the first, but the second hits him as he dodges, exactly as I planned!

Now Kankurou is out. I must say, that resentful glare is not very sportsmanlike.

I glance over to the side and freeze. Uh-oh. Naruto has come very close to the line dividing our two sides, and Uchiha is on the other side nearby. He seems to be saying something, and Naruto does not look happy. I look around for Gai-sensei, but he is busy on the sidelines scolding a freshman for improper conduct.

Just then a dodgeball hits me. It seems I have paid for my moment of inattention! I leave the court, but continue to glance back at Naruto. I do hope nothing especially bad is happening over there...

-.-Naruto's POV-.-

"Loser."

I stare at him. "What the hell'd you call me?!"

He smirks _that smirk_ again. "I said you're a loser. You're so pathetic it's sad. Why would such a loser even keep trying? You should give up now before you embarrass yourself."

Loser. Loser. _Loser_.

Suddenly I see red.

* * *

And there you have it, the most awkward place to end a chapter. Just keep reading...


	5. Round 5

Disclaimer: Naruto, no, Suigetsu, yes (what was with that random mermaid-form in ch. 417? And I hope he gets all the swords).

Continue...

* * *

Round 5

-.-Neji's POV-.-

"Oh shit," Kankurou and I say at the same time. We both recognize Naruto's look. That's the look from that fight with Gaara.

Lee's trotting over, looking worriedly at Naruto. "Neji, this does not look good," he whispers. "What do you think Uchiha said-?"

And then Naruto snaps.

He starts throwing balls around madly; apparently he's still sufficiently aware to abide by the game's rules, which is something, at least. I was afraid he would completely lose it and attack Uchiha. It's a good thing that there aren't many people left at this point, because balls are flying fast enough to break bones and I don't think an ordinary person could dodge them.

Uchiha clearly is no ordinary person. Somehow, he's keeping up and dodging each one. At least he looks surprised now, and his dodging is more erratic and desperate.

Gai-sensei is finally alerted by the screams and people running off the court. He blows his whistle, trying to get Naruto's attention, but it's no good now.

I look at Lee and he nods; if anyone can stop Naruto now, it will have to be us. We start to edge cautiously nearer. Of course I'm not afraid, why would you suggest that? I just know this is going to be difficult. Dealing with Naruto in an enraged state is five times worse than dealing with a drunken Lee. Curse that Uchiha; it's only his first day here and he managed to say something to set Naruto off.

Oh no, now this doesn't look good. Naruto started running out of balls to throw, naturally, so he crossed the invisible boundary to get more. Now Uchiha's running around in circles, not staying on one side, which means that everyone cringing on the sidelines is suddenly open to attack from a stray ball. Students scream and duck; Gai-sensei tries to get close enough to stop him, but Naruto throws a volley at _him_ to keep him away.

I have to hand it to Uchiha; not only is he dodging, he's actually throwing back. Some of his shots make contact, but Naruto doesn't even seem to notice them. That's just how it is when he's like this, although this isn't nearly as bad as the other times, now that I think about it. Whatever Uchiha said couldn't have been too upsetting, then; which means we might have a chance to get through to Naruto.

"Lee, I'll get close enough to distract Naruto. While he's distracted, you run in and-" A sudden loud noise, as of cheap inflated rubber smacking flesh, echoes through the gym.

I look and see both Naruto and Uchiha fall back, abused-looking balls bouncing away from the general area of their heads. I blink. "What just happened?"

"Oh, man, you _missed_ it?" Kankurou sniggers, sliding up out of nowhere now that the danger's over. "Uchiha and Uzumaki just nailed each other in the face at the same time. It was _excellent_."

I glare at him, then follow Lee to check on Naruto.

-.-Naruto's POV-.-

I'm way confused for a second. I rub my head, which hurts for some reason, and look up at Lee and Neji (why are they above me?) who are walking over. "Hey guys. What just happened?"

They give each other a Look, a Look I recognize all too well, and I know what's happened even before Lee tells me. I blacked out. I lost control again. Shit.

I can't stand it. Why do I have a temper like this? It's always been my weakness, the source of all the bad things in my life. Even the sight of Uchiha nursing a broken nose, his pretty blue shirt (poor new kid without a P.E. uniform) all covered with blood, doesn't cheer me up.

Gai-sensei looks up from where he's helping Uchiha. I recognize that look, too. Suddenly I just don't want to hear it. I jump up, ignoring Lee asking if I'm okay, and run for the locker room. Gai-sensei calls me but I keep running. The other students scatter. Their faces go by in a blur, but I know how they're looking at me. Fear. Hate. Suspicion. _That kid's dangerous. A dangerous freak._

I burst into the locker room, slam my fist against a locker. I flop on a bench and lean back against the lockers with a groan. Now I'm in trouble, Iruka'll yell at me (or worse, give me that disappointed look), and everyone's gonna avoid me and talk behind my back for a week. I hate all the kids at this school, and most of the teachers too. They either pretend I don't exist (_ignore him and he'll go away_) or they openly can't stand me (_stay the hell away freak!_).

I sigh, leaning my face in my hands. Why did the jerk annoy me so much anyway? I mean, so he called me a loser. Big deal. I'm not exactly thin-skinned; I've heard worse. Heck, Kiba calls me a loser all the time. But I'm used to him, I guess. The new kid's just got an_ attitude_, like he _knows_ he's better than everyone else. I hate people who are so smug like that. He doesn't even know me! How dare he call me a loser!

I hear the door open and Lee's voice call "Naruto?" So they decided enough time has passed for the little hothead to cool down? Fuck that. I hide quickly in the bathroom and stay there until Lee seems to decide I've left. Once he's given up, I sneak out, change clothes and really do leave. The hallway's being patrolled as usual to make sure no students are skipping class; good luck with that. Everyone in our gang (and the Tanukis too, I gotta admit) is pro at skipping class, with the exception of Neji the brainiac and Lee the goody-two-shoes. I'm out of school before you can say ditch.

I get home and wander around for a while. I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, do a double take and swear. That Uchiha jerk gave me a black eye. I rub it and wander some more. With luck, he'll never know; I've always been a fast healer.

Not sure what to do now, but I do know I don't wanna be here when Iruka gets home. I guess I'll go to the Fox Gang meeting place. The others will be out of school soon; P.E. was the last class of the day. There'll definitely be a meeting after what happened today. I wanna see if Shino's found out anything else about the Uchiha jerk. Like he's really the spawn of the devil or something.

-.-.-.-.-

I weave through the streets, slip quietly down a certain alley, and sneak into the abandoned warehouse that we use as our hideout. I sit down on my usual crate, lean back and put my feet up, and wait.

I'm not waiting long before Neji and Lee come in through the secret entrance. "Hey guys. Where's Shikamaru and Shino?"

"They're tailing Uchiha and his friends to see if they can find out more about them," Neji answers.

"That's cool," I say. We lapse into silence. No mention of what happened today; they know I don't want to talk about it, and I'm grateful that they respect that. Eventually I dig into my secret stash of handheld video games and start playing. Lee and Neji get out the homework they've brought. What'd I tell ya; _such_ goody-two-shoes.

We wait for about half an hour before the others finally show up. "What did you find out?" Neji starts right off as soon as they get inside.

"Not much," Shikamaru sighs, taking a seat on an old bench. "They seemed to figure out we were following them pretty quickly. They didn't actually see us, but they were looking around and staying on guard. We figured they wouldn't go anywhere important like that, so we split."

The rest of us sigh. Then Lee speaks up thoughtfully. "Still, that does tell us one thing: they are almost definitely a gang."

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, all six of them stayed together the whole time. I can't imagine they all live together, so the only other reason I can think of for them moving in a group and being alert for pursuers is if they've got something to hide."

"It seems they have a great deal to hide."

We all turn to Shino, who has been working unnoticed on his laptop. "You mean you found something?!" I ask excitedly.

"Uchiha's got quite some history behind him. His gang, or more accurately the gang he is in, is known as the Sound Gang. They're infamous in Otogakure."

"Otogakure? Isn't that a few miles away?" Shikamaru interrupted.

"Yes."

"So what are they doing in Konoha?" Neji followed up.

"I don't know. This information is coming from police reports and secret government documents reporting deals and bribery with the Sound Gang. They're practically an accepted feature of life in Otogakure; they are the only gang there now, having wrested power from the others, and the police don't dare touch them."

"Okay, well, what about Uchiha?" I ask. Let's keep in mind what's important here.

"One moment..." We waited while Shino hit some more keys. Then he stopped and seemed to read something. His eyes widened (it's difficult to tell behind the glasses, but you learn how to read his expressions after a while. Sort of). Then he started typing really fast. I couldn't take it anymore. "What? What is it?!"

"Sasuke Uchiha..." Shino answered slowly, "used to live in Konoha."

We sat stunned for a while, and then I asked the question that was on everyone's mind: "What the hell?"

Okay, maybe just my mind.

"But he is about our age. If he used to live here, would we not have known him as kids?" Lee asked.

"Uchiha...that name sounds familiar, now that I think about it," Neji muttered.

"The Uchihas were one of the founding families of Konoha," Shino read out from whatever secret document he had found. Lee and I went and looked over his shoulder curiously; he was reading from an old newspaper article. "Together with the Senju clan, they formed the Fire Gang, a legend in the early days of Konoha. However, even after their truce, the Uchiha clan harbored resentment against the Senju because they had lesser status than the Senju; the Senju went into politics and got most of the power in the city, while the Uchihas became the basis of the police force. According to this, the Uchihas plotted rebellion, but they realized the damage that would cause to the city and left."

"They _left_?" I said skeptically. "All of them? What, they just decided they were wrong and went away quietly? Who the heck's gonna believe that?"

"Yes, it does seem suspicious. This," Shino moved to another document, "is a copy of an order given by one Danzo, chief of a rumored secret police force in Konoha, to eliminate the Uchiha clan."

"Eliminate? So they were all killed?" Shikamaru asked.

"I remember now," Neji said suddenly. "I heard my father talking about the sudden disappearance of one of the more powerful gangs in the city. It was a while ago; I was really young at the time. He must have meant the Uchihas."

"Wait, so if all these Uchiha guys were killed, how did Sasuke escape?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know. But there's something else: the leader of the Sound Gang is called Orochimaru. He is also formerly from Konoha."

"Whaaa?" I'm way confused now. Why did all these guys use to be from around here?

"So, perhaps they are here to try to expand their territory back into the town in which they once lived?" Lee suggested.

"I couldn't say. At this point, all we know is their identities. I can't guess at their purpose."

I grinned. "I know how we can find out." Everyone looked at me, surprised. I punched my fist in my hand. "We just have to go..._ask_ them."

Lee and Shikamaru smiled. Neji shook his head, but he was smiling too. Shino adjusted his glasses. "After school tomorrow, then?"

We nodded. As we left the hideout, I couldn't stop grinning. Tomorrow I would get to beat the crap out of Uchiha _properly_. I've never looked forward to school more.

* * *

Next time: the Tanukis' meeting and beating the crap out of Uchiha!


End file.
